


Without you now, this is what it feels like

by 4thofFive



Series: Paradise [4]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-02-08 14:46:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1945134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4thofFive/pseuds/4thofFive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Actor Steve and Five-0 Captain Danny are having an amazing honeymoon - until Steve vanishes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For missmeagan666 who wanted the honeymoon and LouiseC who wanted Steve in danger.
> 
>  
> 
> I started this in February, wrote 2,000 words then stopped completely for months. I've had to force myself to finish it. I hope it's ok. I'm posting it in chapters since I'm not sure how I'm going to end it. Maybe all of you can help me.
> 
>  
> 
> Title from the song "This is what it feels like" by Armin Van Buuren.

Danny and Steve walked hand-in-hand into the Kailani restaurant in the Four Seasons resort at Manele Bay and waited near the entrance for the Maître d’ to seat them. They were in their fourth day of their week-long honeymoon on the small island of Lana’i, and while they usually had breakfast and lunch pretty casually, often by the pool or on the beach, they enjoyed getting dressed up and coming to one of the resort’s restaurants for evening meals. 

After the beach wedding, their friends and family had returned to Oahu the next day and Steve and Danny had moved into a beautiful beach-side condo they had rented for the week. Lana’i was small and didn’t tend to be a touristy place so it afforded them the quiet and relative anonymity they both desired. A few people had recognized Steve but aside from asking for his autograph, most had left the newlyweds alone to surf, snorkel and hike around the island – that is when they got out of the bedroom.

“Ah, Mr. McGarrett, Mr. Williams, good evening,” the Maître d’, dressed in crisp black pants, white shirt and lightweight black jacket, greeted the couple with a warm smile. “Your usual table?” the friendly native islander asked.

“Yes, thank you, Keahi.” Steve replied politely. 

The Maître d’ picked up two menus and a wine list and led the couple out onto a patio overlooking the water. He made sure to seat them as far away from the other diners as possible, but Danny still noticed several people turning to look at Steve and whisper excitedly to each other.

After the two men were seated, Keahi spread their napkins on their laps and proffered the menus. 

“Shall I send the sommelier over. Mr. McGarrett?”

Danny lifted his menu to hide his smirk. People always believed that Steve was an expert on wine because of a character he played in one of his movies. The actor liked to keep up the fiction of being an oenophile.

“Yes, thank you. Keahi,” Steve replied gravely, refusing to meet Danny’s eyes for fear of laughing.

As Keahi walked away Danny put down the menu and snorted.

“You’re so full of shit, McGarrett.”

Steve grinned then shrugged unapologetically.

“I learned a little bit about wine from ‘Grapes of Death.’ So far I’ve managed to fool everyone.”

Danny rolled his eyes and made a disapproving noise. 

“For shame!”

Steve smiled again and reached his hand across the table. Danny took it in his immediately.

“You love the bad boy in me,” Steve joked fondly.

“Oh yes, it’s that dangerous side of you that pretends to know about wine that first attracted me to you, you rebel.”

Danny gave his husband a besotted smile then turned his attention back to his open menu.

It was an amazing night. A light trade wind ruffled Danny’s hair, and the moon was just starting to rise. Danny lifted his eyes to enjoy a long, lingering look at Steve. The taller man, dressed in a light-weight white cotton shirt that he’d rolled up his forearms, had never looked more gorgeous – or edible. The captain pursed his lips and dropped his eyes back to his menu before his body began to react to the sight of his gorgeous husband.

He looked up again when a shadow fell over the table and a rather large woman in a painfully bright, floral moo-moo stood over them giving Steve an adoring look.

“Steve, I couldn't believe it when I saw you here,” the woman gushed holding out one plump hand for Steve to shake. “I’m Nancy Anderson from Akron, Ohio and I’m your biggest fan.”

Steve released Danny’s hand so he could shake Nancy’s.

“Hi Nancy, it’s nice to meet you.”

The woman turned and gestured to a table several yards away. The group of people sitting at it waved and gesticulated wildly at Steve.

“My family and I are all here on vacation. I knew you lived in Hawaii but I never expected to actually run into you. I can’t believe this,” Nancy breathed excitedly.

“Well it’s nice to meet you,” Steve repeated with a nod. “Thanks for stopping by.” Steve turned his attention pointedly back to Danny hoping the woman would take the hint and leave.

“Steve, I know it’s a lot to ask,” Nancy continued, oblivious to Steve’s subtle message. “But could you come over and sit with us for a while? Maybe have a drink? My 19-year-old daughter is with us and she loves you too. It would mean so much to us.”

Steve looked up at the woman with a fixed smile.

“Nancy, I’m here on my honeymoon and I’m looking forward to having a quiet dinner with my husband. We only have a few days until we have to get back to work, so we’re hoping people will just be kind enough to leave us alone.”

Nancy’s face fell and she turned to regard Danny doubtfully.

“Oh, you got married? I heard you were gay now and had a boyfriend, but I didn't know you’d gotten married.”

Danny gave the woman a smug smile and waggled his ring finger at her making the platinum band catch the light of the tiki torches nearby.

“I’m the husband…sorry.”

Nancy gave him a sour look and then turned back to face Steve.

“Are you sure you can’t come over for even a half-hour? We could pay you if you like.”

As Danny watched Steve’s face flush in anger, and the blond man worried his husband might say or do something he’d regret after being insulted by the woman. They had just averted a lawsuit with Mark Addams, a slime ball reporter whom Steve had grabbed around the neck after Danny had been shot. Danny pushed back his chair and stood quickly. He took Nancy’s fleshy upper arm firmly, and began propelling her back to towards her family.

“Nancy, Steve and I are on our honeymoon ok? He’s not coming to your table so please, return to your family before I ask hotel security to step in.”

The heavy-set woman shrugged Danny’s hand off her arm and gave him a spiteful glare.

“He wasn't like this before you turned him gay. He was a nice man. Now he’s just another Hollywood snob.”

Danny sighed and shook his head hopelessly. Most of Steve’s fans were polite and respectful of their idol’s privacy, but there were always a few nuts.

“Have a nice evening,” Danny replied blandly before returning to the table to sit down. Steve's jaw was rigid in barely contained fury, and he was tapping his fork on the top of the table in an unconscious sign of irritation.

“Can you believe that?” Steve hissed. “Jesus Christ what do these people want from me? I felt like telling her to…”

Danny reached across the table and wrapped his hand around Steve’s fist to stop the tapping and to calm his husband.

“I know babe. She was incredibly rude but she’s gone now, ok? Let’s not let it spoil our evening.”

Steve blew out a heavy breath and nodded.

“I won’t Danno, I just…I’m grateful that I have fans but I have a right to my privacy.”

“Of course you do,” replied Danny as he released Steve’s hand and sat back in his chair to resume looking at the menu. “You also need to eat so let’s decide what we’re going to have.”

 

**********

Steve stretched slowly and deeply before melting back down in the lounger and closing his eyes. He’d taken up his favourite position by the pool letting the warmth of the sun dry him after his swim. Danny had been with him for a while but had excused himself a few minutes ago and hadn't returned. Steve was considering getting up to see if his husband was ok when he heard someone clearing their throat behind him. Steve opened his eyes and twisted around to see a man standing beside him holding a long-handled pool skimmer in one hand. The man was wearing loose shorts that barely clung to his hips and a tight tee shirt that stretched over his defined abs. The tee-shirt, sporting a rather incongruent image of a dolphin wearing a life preserver, had “Wikiwiki Pool Service” emblazoned on the chest.

“Hi, Mr. McGarrett,” the man greeted Steve in a low, sultry voice. “I’m here to clean the pool.”

Steve’s eyes slid hungrily up and down the well-built body.

“What’s your name?” the actor asked.

“Pete,” the other man responded promptly, “Pete the Pool Boy.”

Steve smirked and rolled his eyes then nodded.

“You can go ahead and get started…Pete.”

Pete nodded and moved over to the pool and began skimming the water with the net, an action that required much flexing of muscles and moans of exertion. Steve palmed his cock as it twitched with need.

“You missed a spot, Pete,” Steve growled, watching the play of muscles under Pete’s tee-shirt. “Over in that far corner.”

Pete nodded and bent over stretching the skimmer as far as he could and presenting his fine, delectable ass to Steve. Slowly the man straightened up and turned to look at Steve.

“Gosh, it’s so hot,” Pete complained. “Would you mind if I took off my shirt?”

Steve swallowed thickly then nodded.

“Sure, no problem.”

Pete put the skimmer down on the pool deck then lifted his shirt at the hem and slowly, torturously pulled it off, twisting and flexing his body as he exposed his furry torso and beautifully cut abs.

“Oh, that feels better,” Pete announced stretching tall then tossing the shirt to the side.

“Are you sure you’re not too hot for your shorts too?” Steve asked his voice slightly hoarse.

Pete looked over at the tall man with wide-eyed innocence.

“Golly, Mr. McGarrett, if I take off my shorts I’ll be completely naked.”

“I think you should, Pete. I don’t want you to get overheated,” Steve responded quickly. “In fact I’m ordering you to. You have to do what I say don’t you? The customer is always right.”

Pete chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully for a moment before nodding. 

“Yes, sir.”

Pete hooked his thumbs in the waist band of his shorts and slowly pushed them down past his hips and over his half-filled cock before dropping them around his feet. 

“Let’s see you use that skimmer again,” Steve replied darkly. “And make sure to get all of the far corners of the pool.”

“Yes, sir,” Pete replied again softly.

Bending over to pick up the skimmer, Pete turned his back to Steve once more and bent over, his ass cheeks spreading, to run the skimmer almost sensuously along the surface of the water. Steve moaned lightly and began rubbing his rapidly filling cock through his board shorts.

“Oh dear,” Pete announced in a querulous voice, “I think I’m going to fall into the pool and I don’t know how to swim. Will you save me, Mr. McGarrett?” With that, Pete pushed aside the skimmer and executed a perfect dive into the water. He popped up a second later and slapped the water dramatically.

“Come and save me, Mr. McGarrett,” Pete cried out in mock fear.

Steve stood up from the lounger and pushed his own shorts down to his ankles then stepped out of them and kicked them away.

“Hold on, Pete,” Steve replied, his fists on his hips and his cock jutting to the sky. “I’ll save you.”

With two bounds Steve was at the side of the pool then executing his own perfect dive into the water. He swam under water for a moment before popping up only inches away from Pete, his arms wrapped firmly around the other man’s waist. He pulled Pete tight against him, their cocks brushing under the warm water.

“You saved me,” Pete sighed wrapping his arms around Steve’s neck. “How can I ever repay you?”

“Well you could take acting lessons, Danno,” Steve smirked bending his head to kiss and suck at Danny’s neck. Danny tipped his head to give his husband better access.

“You didn't believe me in the role of Pete the Pool Boy?” Danny asked as he suppressed a moan when Steve went for that spot on his neck that always made his cock twitch.

“I think you’re more believable as Danny Williams, cop, father and husband of Steve McGarrett.”

“Mmmm,” Danny responded as Steve sealed his mouth over Danny’s. When they finally parted, breathless, Danny lifted a hand off Steve’s neck and rubbed his thumb over one of Steve’s eyebrows giving his husband a fond smile. “Those are my best roles.”

Steve grabbed Danny around the ass and lifted him flush against his own straining cock. Danny moaned again and wrapped his legs around Steve’s hips so their cocks were pressed tightly together. Steve began to rub himself against Danny as the smaller man thrust his hips in response. 

“Steve…fuck…” Danny whispered as he attacked Steve’s mouth again.

Steve moaned as he walked them both slowly through the water in a haphazard circle. The feeling of the warm water gliding over their bodies combined with the hard heat of Steve’s cock rubbing against his own made Danny's heart speed up. His breath was coming in gasps now and he knew he was seconds away from his orgasm. He pulled his head back to look Steve in the face.

“Come with me, Steve,” Danny panted as he upped the tempo of his hips. “I want to see you.”

“Oh Jesus, Danny,” Steve gasped walking to the side of the pool and pressing Danny’s back against the concrete wall. They kept their eyes glued to each other as they thrust together until Danny began crying out as he spurted soundlessly into the water. That sent Steve over the edge and he too began shooting rhythmically into the water. When they were finished, Danny was still pressed against the wall, and Steve was plastered weakly against him. When Danny returned to his senses he wrinkled his nose as he look around the pool.

“Well we’re definitely going to need to have the pool cleaned now.”

**********

“Steven, that’s enough!”

Steve looked up from the ceramic bangles he was examining in one of the display cases in The Local Gentry, a clothing boutique in Lana’i City.

“Huh?”

“Grace doesn't need any more gifts, babe. You've already bought her a shirt, a ukulele, a necklace and some sort of shell contraption.”

Steve gave Danny an affronted look.

“Maybe I’m not buying this for Grace. Maybe I’m buying it for Kono, or Kiki.”

Danny shook his head and sighed as he reached out and grabbed his husband by the upper arm and began pulling him out of the store.

“That’s a piece of jewelry for a teenager, Steve. Don’t try to bullshit me. We've had this discussion about spoiling our daughter.”

Steve wanted to huff and puff dramatically, but hearing Danny refer to Grace as ‘our daughter’ caused him to grin happily, his chest swelling with pride.

“It’s just a few trinkets, Danno.”

Danny looked up at the taller man and smiled warmly as they stepped out of the store and back into the bright Hawaiian sunshine.

“I know, babe. I may have bought her one or two things myself, but we've got a couple more days here and if you keep shopping I’m afraid we’ll have to rent a barge to haul back all the stuff we’re collecting.”

Steve slipped his arm over Danny’s shoulders as they crossed 7th Street to wander through Dole Park. 

“A bit of an exaggeration, Danno since there are so few places to shop on Lana’i,” Steve scoffed gently. “But I think we've got a gift for everyone now so we don’t have to do any more shopping.”

“Good,” Danny replied, waving an instructive finger at Steve. “Honeymoons are supposed to be about sex, food, sex, doing a bit of sightseeing, sex, and having fun. Shopping isn't fun.”

“I hope you’re not complaining about the amount of sex we’re having Danno because I’m still walking funny after last night.”

Danny wrapped an arm around Steve’s waist and gave his husband a squeeze.

“No complaints from me, babe.”

**********

Danny slowly woke to the feeling of warm fingers carding through his hair and gently massaging his scalp. He made a sound deep in his throat and opened his eyes to mere slits to see a worried looking Steve sitting beside him on the bed.

“Hey baby,” Steve whispered, “sorry to wake you, but I just wanted to tell you I’m going to run out and get some fish and veggies for our dinner. I didn't think you’d want to go out for supper.”

“Mmm,” Danny replied rolling onto his back with a sigh.

“Sounds good, babe. What time is it?”

“It’s just after 2 p.m. How are you feeling?” Steve inquired worriedly. “Headache any better?”

Danny nodded carefully as he allowed his eyelids to slide shut once more. He occasionally suffered from migraines and he was struck with one early this morning. Of course this would have to happen on the second last day of his honeymoon.

“It’s better,” replied Danny softly, unwilling to move or speak too loud in case the pain flared up again. “The Zomig is helping.” Danny sighed again and ran a shaky hand down his face. “Sorry about this. I’m ruining our last couple of days.”

Steve made a dismissive sound and removed his hand from Danny’s head to rest it on his shoulder.

“You’re not ruining anything. You can’t help it if you got a migraine. The most important thing is for you to get back on your feet. That’s all I care about.”

The blond man felt the bed shift as his husband stood up then felt Steve’s lips on his forehead.

“I’ll be back in about an hour, ok?” Steve whispered. “Call me or text me if you need anything or the pain comes back alright?”

Danny nodded again and rolled over onto his side once more and began drifting off to sleep. He heard the snick of the bedroom door being shut.

 

**********

When Danny blinked awake again he noticed that the pain in his head was blessedly gone, and the sun was low on the horizon outside the bedroom window of their rented condo. Danny sat up slowly, careful not to move too quickly unless the pain returned. But when he was upright he realized the migraine had well and truly gone. He glanced at the bedside clock. 6:35 p.m. He paused for a moment listening for any sound in the house but all was still and silent.

Danny climbed to his feet and walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs into the living room of the condo. The house was dark and getting darker as the sun came close to setting.

“Steve?” Danny called out, his voice almost echoing in the silence. Danny switched on a table lamp and walked through to the kitchen. There was no sign of Steve. His phone and wallet were gone and when Danny opened the fridge he found the same staples they’d purchased several days ago. Nothing new had been added.

Danny padded barefoot over the cool kitchen tiles and looked out through the glassed-in porch to the beach beyond. There was no sign of his husband. The blond man hurried back to the front of the house to check for the motorcycles the two had rented for the week. Both were in place so Steve must have walked to wherever he was going, or maybe taken the Manele Bay shuttle into town. 

The Captain began chewing his bottom lip nervously and returned to the living room to pick up his cell phone from the coffee table. He punched in the speed dial number for Steve’s phone and waited. It rang four times then went to voice mail.

“Steve? Babe, where are you? You left hours ago. Is everything ok? Call me please I’m worried.”

Danny disconnected the call and stood almost frozen to the spot in the centre of the living room, his phone clutched tightly in his shaking hand. What the hell could have happened to his husband? Lana’i was a small island. There was no way it would take Steve this long to get the food they needed for supper tonight. 

Danny shook himself out of his worried musings and ran back upstairs to put on his jeans and his riding boots. Something had happened to Steve. He felt it in his gut and he had to find his husband – now.

 

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Chin Ho Kelly groaned and pulled a pillow over his head to try to block out the shrill ringing of his cell phone.  It was just after 10 and he’d only gone to bed and fallen asleep a few minutes ago. He and Kono had been working flat out for three days to bust a human trafficking ring.

 

Chin sighed loudly and ripped the pillow off his face and tossed it across the room in annoyance. With Danny gone he was in charge of Five-0 and couldn’t ignore the ringing phone. The Hawaiian cop sat up and fumbled on the bedside table for the phone then jabbing the answer button without looking at the screen.

 

“Kelly,” he barked into the offending device.

 

“Chin?”

 

Something in the timbre of Danny’s voice had Chin sitting up straight and flicking on the table lamp. He was wide awake now.

 

“Danny? What’s wrong, why are you calling me from your honeymoon?”

 

“Chin,” Danny repeated, his voice quavering and on the thin edge of hysteria. “Chin, I can’t…Steve…I don’t know where he is…I can’t…”

 

“Danny!” Chin barked trying to calm his boss and stop the tumbling words. In the six years he’d known and worked with Danny he’d never heard him so panicked.

 

“What’s going on, Danny? What are you talking about? What about Steve?”

 

Chin listened as Danny audibly took a deep breath as if to calm himself. When he spoke again his voice was more controlled.

 

“I…I woke up with a migraine today so I spent the day in bed. Steve woke me around two to tell me he was going grocery shopping. When I woke again at about 6:30 he wasn’t in the house, and there were no groceries around. I don’t think he ever came home.”

 

“OK,” Chin climbed to his feet and beginning to pace over the carpet of his master bedroom. “What have you done to find him so far?”

 

“I talked to the hotel’s shuttle driver and he confirms he took Steve into Lana’i City in the afternoon, but didn’t bring him back. Then I called the hospital in case he had an accident, but they haven’t seen him. I drove to the Farmer’s Market to check if he was there. They were closing up for the night, and most of the vendors were gone but those who were left didn’t remember seeing him. Oh god, Chin, what could have happened to him?”

 

“Have you called the police?” Chin inquired not interested in getting into what ifs with Danny right at the moment.

 

Danny hesitated for a minute.

 

“I...I haven’t…”

 

“Why the hell not, Danny?” Chin demanded feeling pissed off that a cop wouldn’t immediately call on the other cops for help.

 

“Chin, Steve is a celebrity. If I tell the cops he’s missing someone will spill the beans and this island is going to be swarming with media and paparazzi within hours. I wanted to try and find him on my own before I went to the cops.”

 

Chin stopped pacing and ran a tired hand down his face. Sometimes he forgot that Steve wasn’t just Danny’s husband but also a famous movie and TV star.

 

“Yeah, ok. That makes sense, but you have to go and see them now. If…if someone’s taken Steve they may want to get him off the island, and we’re going to need all the help we can get to prevent that from happening.” If it hasn’t already, Chin thought to himself.

 

Chin heard Danny take a shaky breath. It was obvious his boss was struggling to keep his emotions in check.

 

“Yes, you’re right. I’ll go and see them right now. Will…will you come over Chin?”

 

Chin held his phone to his ear with his shoulder as he used both hands to open his closet door and begin digging for clothes. He’d pack an overnight bag in case he might be there a few days.

 

“Yeah, Kono and I will get there as soon as we can. It’s too late for the ferry, but I’ll see if Kamekona or the Coast Guard can fly us over in a chopper.”

 

Chin pulled a shirt off its hanger then paused for a moment.

 

“Just hang on ok, Danny? We’re coming and we’ll find him. Everything is going to be ok.”

 

“Ok Chin, thanks. Just hurry ok?”

 

**********

Danny shifted anxiously in his chair and held his fisted hands between his knees. He’d been two hours in the Maui County Police Station on Lana’i answering what seemed like the same questions over and over again. Chin and Kono had been delayed by weather but were expected any time now.

 

 The officers obviously didn’t feel the same sense of concern about Steve’s disappearance as Danny did, and it was only the fact that Steve was a well-known person and Danny was the head of Five-0 that they were even investigating – albeit in a desultory manner – the disappearance of Danny’s husband.

 

“Did you have a fight today?” the Sergeant in charge asked Danny a touch condescendingly. The Captain was offended the other cop was treating him like some sort of hysterical civilian, but he needed the help of these cops. He couldn’t afford to get angry.

 

“I already told you, no. We didn’t have a fight. We are here on our honeymoon.”

 

The Sergeant, a well-built native Islander in his 40s named Kaiwi laughed loudly.

 

“My wife and I fought all the way through our honeymoon. We weren’t sure at first if the marriage would survive.”

 

Danny tightened his jaw and grabbed his knees in a white-knuckle grip. It was that or pound his fists on the desk.

 

“Steve and I aren’t like that,” he explained with exaggerated patience. “We love each other. We were having a wonderful time.”

 

The Sergeant nodded slowly and fiddled with his pen for a moment not meeting Danny’s eyes.

 

“Well, Captain isn’t it…isn’t it possible that he, you know, changed his mind about being married and stuff? I heard that his career took quite a hit when he came out. Maybe he decided he couldn’t handle it after all, and he left.”

 

Danny glowered silently at the Sergeant until the other man raised his eyes to meet Danny’s.

 

“You listen to me, Sergeant,” Danny replied, his voice low and menacing. “My husband’s career is going well. Our family life is wonderful. He’s happy. I’m happy. We’re all happy. He didn’t leave me. He didn’t run away. Something has happened to him. Something bad has happened to him do you understand?”

 

The Sergeant licked his lips nervously before nodding abruptly.

 

“Yes sir, I understand. We’ll start looking for him in the morning.”

 

“The morning?” Danny replied incredulously. “The trail might have gone cold by then.”

 

“Lana’i is a very small island, Captain. It’s almost one in the morning. Everyone’s in bed asleep. There’s nothing we can do tonight. Even if there was we have a small detachment of cops here. We’ll have to ask for backup from Maui and that will take time.”

 

Danny sighed heavily and slumped back in his chair. He had never felt so useless and impotent.

 

“My team is on the way. They’ll be able to help.”

 

Sergeant Kaiwi nodded as he climbed to his feet.

 

“We can use them. Now, I’d suggest you go home and try to get some rest. Maybe your husband will return during the night. If not I’ll come and personally pick you up from your condo in the morning and we’ll start the search ok?”

 

**********

Danny and his two partners had spent the better part of the night driving around the few roads on Lana’i and walking the beaches looking for any sign of Steve. Finally at 3 a.m. they’d returned to Steve and Danny’s rented condo and tried for a few hours sleep. Danny nodded off a couple of times but he spent most of the remaining part of the dark hours sitting in an easy chair staring out the bedroom window, his feet tucked under himself and clutching a pillow – Steve’s pillow – to his abdomen. 

 

At around 6 a.m., as soon as it was light enough outside, Danny was downstairs making coffee while Chin had a quick shower and Kono, who had already showered, was combing her damp hair into an efficient ponytail. The plan for the day was to revisit the Farmers’ Market and interview the vendors that Danny had not been able to speak to the day before.

 

As Danny poured coffee into travel mugs, he heard a car pulling into the driveway at the front of the condo. He couldn’t help the little frisson of hope that sparked within him as he hurried to open the door. Maybe Steve had been found and he was coming home.

 

The captain’s hopes sank as Sgt. Kaiwi walked up the driveway towards the house. As he got closer, the look on the Sergeant’s face made Danny’s heart stutter in his chest. Kaiwi held something in his hand and Danny glanced down to see an evidence bag with a wallet and a phone inside it.  The blond man found he couldn’t breathe properly. He took two stumbling steps away from the front door back into the living room, almost crashing into Kono behind him.

 

“Danny, what…?” the Hawaiian officer began, but stopped abruptly as Kaiwi walked in the front door looking grim. The Sergeant closed the door carefully then turned to face Danny and Kono.

 

“Captain…” the Sergeant began quietly.

 

“No,” said Danny, shaking his head rapidly, his breath coming in gulps. His arms were crossed defensively on his chest and Kono stood close behind him, both hands on his biceps trying to offer what support she could.

 

The Sergeant held up the bag stepping closer so Danny could see the contents.

 

“Captain, can you identify these as belonging to your husband?”

 

Danny pressed his lips together in a tight line before giving one firm nod of the head.

 

“I g-gave him the wallet a few months ago.”

 

Kaiwi nodded regretfully.

 

“They were found on Polihua Beach this morning. It’s a very dangerous swimming spot. The locals know to stay away from it, but…”

 

“No!” Danny barked, his voice cracking, “You’re wrong.”

 

The Sergeant sighed heavily. He hated this part of his job.

 

“Captain…I’m sorry but it seems obvious to me that your husband decided to go for a swim yesterday afternoon and drowned. I’m very sorry. We have the Coast Guard out looking…”

 

Danny lurched out of Kono’s grip and all but threw himself at Kiawi grabbing the cop by the lapels. He jerked the older Hawaiian man to within inches of his face.

 

“You listen to me!” Danny shouted, “My husband did not drown. He did not go swimming and drown do you hear me? You’re wrong.”

 

“Danny!” Chin had obviously heard the raised voices and came running down the stairs in time to help Kono pull their boss away from Kiawi.

 

Danny allowed himself to be pulled away but wrenched out of Kono and Chin’s arms. He stood in the middle of the living room, hands fisted at his side, panting in rage.

 

“I was home sick. He was getting food for our supper. He wouldn’t drop everything to go for a swim, especially on the other side of the fucking island! He did not go swimming and he did not drown. My husband has been kidnapped; it’s the only logical reason for his disappearance.”

 

An offended Kiawi straightened the lapels of his uniform shirt and glared at Danny.

 

“I don’t think so, but out of respect for Five-0 I’ll give you two officers for 24 hours to help continue your search. After that they need to go back to their regular duties. We haven’t got time for a wild goose chase.”

 

Danny growled in rage but before he could make a move towards the Sergeant once more, Kono stepped between the two men and ushered Kiawi towards the front door.

 

“OK, thanks Sergeant. We appreciate that. If you could have the officers meet us at the Farmers’ Market please…” Kono gently pushed the Sergeant out the door and closed it firmly behind him. She turned to look at a now shaking, pale-faced Danny.

 

“He didn’t drown,” Danny repeated as if to himself, “He’s not dead. He’s not dead.”

 

**********

 

Danny, Chin, Kono and two young officers from the Maui County Police entered Dole Park a half-hour later and looked around at the vendors selling fish, fresh vegetables and native island crafts. The vendors were just setting up their booths for the day’s trade and only a few customers were milling around. The plan was to interview every vendor until they found someone who had served Steve the night before. Aside from being famous, Steve was also gorgeous. Someone would remember him.

 

Danny looked around appraisingly before nodding firmly. He turned to address the small group.

 

“OK, let’s split up and cover as much ground as possible. Talk to everyone you see, not just the merchants but also the visitors. Make sure you show Steve’s picture, and don’t ignore any tip, no matter how insignificant it might seem.”

 

The four other cops nodded and split up, each going in a different direction leaving Danny the outer edge of stalls to visit. It was good to finally be doing something. The Coast Guard was searching the ocean and the shore line for Steve, but Danny was certain they wouldn’t find anything – not a body anyway. Steve was waiting for Danny to come and rescue him.

 

“Hang on, babe,” Danny whispered to himself as he approached the first vendor. “We’re coming, hang on.”

 

**********

 

Steve opened his eyes and groaned immediately at the pounding in his head. He felt bruised and battered like he’d taken a tumble down a long, long flight of stairs. The actor glanced around in confusion. He was in a small, dirty and ramshackle room that looked like it hadn’t seen a paint brush or broom in a decade. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment trying to dredge up a memory of why he was here. Where was Danny? They’d been on their honeymoon. Danny had had a migraine and Steve was…what...going to get some food. Wasn’t he? How did he get from their condo to here…wherever here was?

 

The actor moved uncomfortably as a spring jabbed him in the back. He was lying on what appeared to be a very old style brass bed on a thin, stained and battered mattress with rusty springs sticking up at various points.  Steve moved to sit up and was swamped with dizziness and a wave of nausea. He lay back in the bed for a moment keeping his eyes shut and taking deep, even breaths. When he thought he had his stomach under control, he sat up again, slowly. It was then that he discovered his legs were chained to the footboard the bed, and one hand was chained to the headboard. The other remained free. He was able to sit up completely as long as he kept his chained arm outstretched behind his back.

 

The dark-haired man sat quietly trying to get some sense of where he was. The house or cabin or shack he was in was quiet but the sounds of birds and other creatures typical in the tropics caused a cacophony of noise outside. It seemed likely it was in the woods somewhere, probably far from any other human habitation.

 

Steve weakly lifted his shaking hand to the right side of his head where the pain was the most intense. When he lowered it again he found it flaked with dried blood. He looked down at his blood stained shirt and twisted around slightly to see the small pool of blood on the pillow where he had slept.

 

Steve closed his eyes for a moment and wracked his brain trying to remember what happened to him, but nothing was coming. It seemed obvious that he’d been kidnapped, but he had no idea how or when or by whom.

 

The actor pulled angrily on the chains that were binding him to the bed, but they wouldn’t budge. The bed might have been old but it was strong. Steve sighed and lay back down carefully. His one comfort was that Danny would be looking for him, and he had no doubt his husband would tear the island apart to find him – assuming he was still on Lana’i.

 

The actor flinched slightly as the door to the dirty room was pushed open and a dumpy little man in a plain, short-sleeved button down shirt and dirty jeans entered the room and glared at him. The man was in his early 30’s, about 5’9”, had scraggly light brown hair and green eyes. He looked – and smelled – like he hadn’t bathed in some time.

 

“You’re finally awake,” the man announced pointlessly.

 

Steve sat up abruptly ignoring the flare of pain this caused in his head, and glared at the dirty man.

 

“Who the hell are you, and what the fuck am I doing here?”

 

“It’s your fault!” the other man screamed in sudden, almost hysterical rage, spittle forming on the sides of his mouth and arms thrown wide. “If you’d just done what I asked and been decent about it, but oh no, you had to be rude and tell me to get lost. You brought this on yourself!”

 

Steve stared at the other man for a moment once again plumbing the depths of his brain trying to figure out what he was talking about. As far as he knew he’d never seen the man before.

 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Steve demanded, trying to ignore the pain his shouting was causing in his head. “I have no idea who you are or what I’m supposed to have done to you.”

 

“I never wanted this to happen,” the smaller man shouted back, his face now red and his eyes brimming with tears. “I just wanted you to read my script but you were too busy. You didn’t have time for me. I just…when you turned away from me I lost it, and I hit you with a bottle.”

 

Steve slumped down weakly.

 

“I don’t read unsolicited scripts, I must have told you that,” he tried to speak reasonably. “It wasn’t anything personal.”

 

The other man stuck his bottom lip out and shrugged.

 

“Didn’t I give you my agent’s name and tell you to send the script to him?” Steve demanded.

 

The other man crossed his arms defensively on his chest and nodded once.

 

“Well then?” Steve shouted again. “What’s your problem?”

 

“I knew very well that your _agent_ …” the strange man sneered at the word, “…wouldn’t read the script and he’d never show it to you. It’s the lie you people always tell. That’s the way you big shot actors blow people off as soon as you get famous, but you’re not going to blow me off. I have you here now and you’re going to read my fucking script!”

 

Steve shook his head slowly and ran his unbound hand through his hair until he touched the gash causing him to hiss in pain.

 

“I can’t even see straight. I’m not reading your goddamned script. I will never read your goddamned script.”

 

Without warning the smaller man took two steps forward and slapped Steve hard across the left side of his face. The hit knocked Steve to his side painfully wrenching his tethered arm, and making stars appear in front of his eyes. His vision faded for a moment.

 

“You will read it! You will!” the man shrieked again. “We could have done this the easy way, but you wouldn’t help me so now we’re going to do it the hard way. You’ll read my script or I’ll put a bullet in your brain.”

 

“You’re a nut,” Steve growled, raising his free hand to his stinging cheek. “You’re going to spend the rest of your life in jail when my husband finds you.”

 

The other man smirked and lifted his chin defiantly.

 

“I wouldn’t put too much stock in your great detective husband. He thinks you drowned. He and everyone else thinks you’re dead. I made sure of that. No one will be looking for you.”

 

The smaller man turned on the ball of his foot and stomped out of the room slamming the rickety door behind him. Steve could hear him muttering loudly and throwing things around.

 

The actor sank back down on the bed and closed his eyes again. Despite what his kidnapper said, Steve had no doubt that Danny was looking for him.

 

“You need to come soon, Danno,” he whispered to himself. “You need to get here soon.”

 

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

“Danny!”

Danny turned immediately and scanned the crowded park to locate Kono, recognizing the anxious tone in her voice. He spotted the Hawaiian officer waving frantically to him from about 20 feet away. The Captain ran towards her, heart in his throat, praying that finally, after an hour of doing interviews, she had tracked their first lead

Danny pounded up to where she stood in front of the display of a local fisherman. The man had his product in deep coolers covered with ice. The coolers sat on a several old, fold away tables and a canopy protected the vendor and his clients from the late morning sun.

“Kono?” Danny huffed out trying not to sound too desperate.

Kono gestured towards the annoyed looking fish monger who obviously wanted the young woman away from his stall so he could serve his other customers.

“This is Mr. Hekekia,” Kono introduced the older Hawaiian man to Danny ignoring the glares the fisherman was tossing her way. “He served Steve yesterday.”

Kono turned back to the man and gave him a look that brooked no argument.

“Tell Captain Williams what you told me.”

The older Hawaiian man sighed and rolled his eyes.

“I served Steve McGarrett yesterday,” he repeated in a bored voice as if he’d had to repeat himself over and over. “He bought some ahi palaha from me and then he left. End of story.”

“Did you know who he was when you served him?”

“Yeah, I just watched one of his movies a couple of weeks ago. He was wearing a baseball hat yesterday, but I recognized him. He was nice and he posed for a picture with me.”

“Do you have the camera with you?” Danny demanded.

The older man held up his phone which was loaded up with a photo of Steve, his arm around Mr. Hekekia, a polite smile on his face. Danny took the phone and stared at the picture for a moment as if trying to memorize it.

Seeing Danny was lost for a moment, Kono took up the questioning.

“Where did he go after that?”

Mr. Hekekia sighed dramatically.

“I was busy with my customers but about 15 minutes after I served him I saw him walk in that direction,” with a distracted wave the older man pointed to a row of buildings to the south.

“Was he alone?” Danny asked.

The Hawaiian man nodded then paused for a moment. 

“Well…some lady came up and talked to him just before he left the park. I didn’t have time to watch obviously, but she was gesturing like she was mad at him, and I could hear that her voice was raised but I couldn’t hear what she was saying.”

“Describe the woman,” Kono demanded, ignoring the small group of grumbling, impatient people lined behind her waiting to buy fish.

“Haole,” Hekekia replied in annoyance. “They all look the same to me. My customers are waiting.”

“Your customers are going to be waiting for you outside the police station if you don’t tell me more about this woman,” Kono growled taking a step towards the older man.

Hekekia sighed again throwing his hands in the air.

“She was about my age, early 50’s. Pasty white skin, brownish hair, kind of nui…”

Danny shot a quizzical look at Kono.

“Large,” she translated.

Danny felt his stomach clench at that.

“…dressed like haole’s always do when they want to try to look kama'aina: big floral moo-moo, flower in her hair.”

Danny drew in a sharp breath and Kono looked over at him worriedly.

“I think I might know who that is,” Danny offered quietly, his face hardening in suppressed anger.

**********

Danny used his fist to bang on the door of suite 306 in the Manele Bay Resort, and waited impatiently for it to be opened. Behind him Kono and Chin glanced at each other warily. Their boss was on the knife edge and they knew they would have to control him to prevent his anger from making him do something stupid.

The door opened and Nancy Anderson, the Ohio woman who had accosted Steve in the resort’s restaurant several days before, stood looking at the three people apprehensively.

Danny took three steps towards the woman, his face inches from hers.

“What did you do with him,” Danny demanded his voice low and dangerous. “Where is he?”

Mrs. Anderson’s face paled in fear and she took several steps back into the suite to get away from him.

“Where is my husband?”

Mrs. Anderson blinked dumbly for a moment.

“What?”

Seeing the situation already beginning to unravel, Chin shouldered Danny out of the way and stood in front of Mrs. Anderson, his face hard and blank.

“Mrs. Anderson, yesterday you were seen speaking angrily to Steve McGarrett at the Farmers’ Market in Dole Park. He has since gone missing, and we want to know if you did anything to cause his disappearance.”

Mrs. Anderson swallowed thickly and shook her head rapidly. She clasped her hands together and pressed them to her heart in the manner of an old silent film star.

“What? No I…yes I saw him but I didn’t have anything to do with his disappearance.” 

Mrs. Anderson freed one hand to wave it around the well-appointed suite behind her. 

“You can search if you want. I haven’t even left this suite since last night. I don’t know where Steve, er, Mr. McGarrett is.”

Taking that as an invitation, Kono immediately left Danny’s side and began a quick but thorough search of the suite.

“You were seen talking to him,” Danny repeated Chin’s words, his eyes burning holes in Mrs. Anderson. “The vendor we spoke to said you sounded angry. Maybe you kidnapped him? Maybe you got pissed off that he wouldn’t sit with you at your table two nights ago and you decided to make him pay.”

Mrs. Anderson blanched and shook her head rapidly.

“That’s ridiculous. Yes, I saw him in Dole Park, and yes I gave him a piece of my mind, but I didn’t hurt him or kidnap him.”

She gave a snort of disbelief and pointed to herself with both index fingers.

“He’s over six feet and solid muscle. How exactly would I kidnap him?”

“You could have had help,” Chin pointed out reasonably. 

Mrs Anderson’s bottom lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears.

“I-I didn’t do anything to Steve. I would never hurt him. I was angry at him, but I would never hurt him. I’m his biggest fan.”

As her words turned to loud sniffling, Kono emerged from one of the bedrooms in the suite tugging a sleepy young woman behind her. The girl was in her late teens. She wore a pair of men’s boxer briefs and a form-fitting, sleeveless undershirt on her trim body. The young woman’s hair was a rat’s nest and she blinked owlishly at the other people in the room. It was obvious Kono had just rousted her out of bed. The young officer pulled the girl over to stand in front of Danny.

“Danny this is Kayla Anderson and she also saw Steve yesterday.”

Danny turned blazing eyes on the still muzzy young woman.

“You saw Steve? Where and when?”

“Ummm,” Kayla responded rubbing her eyes as if to wake up. “I saw him at Dole Park…well not exactly at Dole Park sort of in an alley behind the park.”

“When was this?”

Kayla shrugged.

“Idunknow, the afternoon sometime? I was taking a short cut through the alley to meet my mom in the park, and I saw Steve and another guy. Steve looked like he was sick ‘cause the other guy was sort of propping him up and kind of pushing him into a car. Then the guy drove off with Steve.”

Danny’s throat tightened at that and he had to fist his hands at his side to stop them shaking.

“Describe the man and the car,” Chin took up the line of questioning.

Kayla yawned widely then sighed heavily. She smacked her lips together as she considered the question.

“The guy was like…I don’t know…maybe his age…” Kayla pointed at Danny. “Real scruffy and dirty looking; I think he had brown hair. I wasn’t really looking at him I was looking at Steve.”

“What about the car?” Chin persisted.

Kayla shrugged and reached behind herself to scratch her back.

“It was a car, I don’t know. I don’t really pay attention to that stuff. I think it was red.”

Danny tightened his jaw in frustration. He couldn’t afford to fall into a rage and frighten this young witness.

“You must remember something. Was it a car or an SUV? Did it look new? Did it have four doors or two?”

Kayla sighed again and rolled her eyes to the ceiling of the hotel suite.

“Definitely a car. Four doors. I remember that because the guy helped Steve into the back seat and Steve kind of collapsed down on it.” Kayla yawned then shrugged again. “Maybe you can tell more from the pictures.”

Danny, Kono and Chin all stiffened at that throwing shocked looks at each other.

“Pictures?” Kono snapped back. “What pictures? You didn’t say anything about pictures.”

The young girl turned to give Kono a contemptuous look.

“That’s ‘cause you didn’t ask. I took some pictures of Steve with my phone. I figured if he was real sick or something I could sell them to the tabloids and make some money.”

Seeing Danny’s face darken in barely suppressed rage, Mrs. Anderson stepped forward and put a gentle hand on her daughter’s shoulder and gave her a pleading look.

“Sweetie, can you be a dear and go and get your phone?”

The young woman gave her mom a withering look.

“Jesus. mother! Why should I just fucking hand over my phone…?”

“You listen to me,” Danny shouted stomping over to loom over the young girl, his face inches from hers.

“My husband’s life is in danger. You will give me that phone right now or I’m going tear apart this hotel room while my partners drag you and your mom off to the police station. And god knows how long you’ll end up being stuck there.”

The young woman stuck out her bottom lip in a pout as her mother hurried to convince her.

“Please, baby. Give them the phone and then you and mommy can go to the spa, ok? We can get your hair done too.”

Kayla made a sound of disgust deep in her throat and crossed her arms tightly on her chest.

“Fine!” she snapped. The young woman turned to Kono. “It’s on my bedside table.”

**********  
Danny stood in the short alley behind Dole Park and stared at the large drops of blood on the pavement. They had dried in the hours since Steve was kidnapped but it was still obvious what they were and, given what they’d gleaned from the photographs on Kayla Anderson’s phone, this was the spot where Steve had been taken. He’d obviously been hit with something or stabbed or….Danny swallowed down the bile rising in his throat and ran a distracted hand through his hair as he blew out a nervous breath.

He glanced over at Chin who was talking quietly on his phone.

“OK,” Chin said into the phone before hitting the end call button and turning to face Danny. “Kono was able to enlarge the photo enough to see a couple of numbers of the license plate and also that it was a rental car. She’s checking with the agencies on the island now. It looks like there are only a couple of them so it shouldn’t be difficult. And even Sergeant Kiawi is offering the help of his men.”

“That’s nice of him,” Danny deadpanned, raising his hand to massage his stiff, aching neck. “God, I can’t imagine what Steve is going through.”

Chin laid his hand on Danny’s shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze.

“Just hang on, ok brah? We’ll find him.”

**********

The strange, dumpy man who held Steve prisoner pushed open the door of the room where the actor was being held and threw a thickly bound sheaf of papers towards the bed. The stack bounced off Steve’s chest where he was lying prone on the bed, and slid to the floor.

“What’s that?” Steve asked with little interest. He knew it was a script – he’d seen hundreds of them in his career.

“It’s my movie script,” answered Steve’s captor in a slightly whining voice. “You’re going to read it and give me notes.”

Steve barked out a humourless laugh.

“No, I’m not. Even if I could see straight there is no fucking way I’m reading your stupid script.”

“You have to!” whined the man, his voice taking on an almost ear-piercing pitch. “I’ve been working on it for three years!”

Steve’s captor’s voice grew in excitement as he told Steve about the story.

“It’s about this guy, could be played by you maybe, who is the first resident on this lonely planet in space. Well, he thinks he’s the only resident but it’s actually being controlled by zombies who were created in the 1950’s in a science experiment gone wrong.”

Steve chuckled pityingly and shook his head slightly as he tried to turn away from the man as much as the chains would allow.

“This guy,” the strange man continued, ignoring Steve’s laugh, his chatter speeding up in his excitement, “he’s like the all-American super hero, and he takes on all these zombies with these cool weapons and like, karate moves and stuff…”

Steve flinched inwardly. Before Paradise that was exactly the kind of movie he would have done. He set his sights a bit higher now.

“…he’s super cool and tough and he gets the beautiful woman at the end.”

Steve pulled his eyebrows together in confusion and turned to look back at his captor.

“I thought you said he was the only person on the planet?” he asked before he could stop himself. Why encourage this freak?

The strange man froze for a moment as if Steve thought of something that he’d missed then shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

“She umm, comes to rescue him in her own space ship.”

Steve shook his head tiredly and sank deeper into the fetid mattress.

“Of course she does.”

The kidnapper took an unconscious step towards Steve and the actor realized that in his excitement about his stupid screenplay, the man had neglected to be cautious. Steve turned a bit more towards the other man and made sure his free hand was at the ready.

“OK,” Steve sighed as if the other man had finally broken down his resolve, “the story doesn’t sound half bad. Let me see the script.”

Steve held out his hand and the other man grinned happily. He hurried to the bed and bent down directly in front of Steve to pick the script up off the floor. Steve grabbed his kidnapper by the hair and slammed the man’s forehead down on the side railing of the bed. Blood poured out of his captor’s head and the man slid to the floor in a limp, unconscious heap.

Needing to work fast, Steve stretched his arm down towards the other man hoping he had the keys to the chains in his pockets. But because of the chains, Steve could only brush the other man’s back with his fingertips. There was no way he could get enough of a hold on the kidnapper to search him.

“Fuck!” he hissed in frustration.

**********

Sargeant Kiawi handed Danny a Kevlar vest and the Captain put it over his head and cinched its Velcro straps with practiced ease. Danny, Kono and Chin, along with Sergeant Kaiwi and three uniformed officers, stood next to several police cars about a half-mile down the road from their target house. Kono had been able to get an address for their likely suspect from the car rental agency.

“Lloyd James Murawski,” the young woman reported as soon as Chin and Danny had pulled up to the remote location on Keomuku Highway and began preparing to surround and invade the house. “He’s 32 years old from Knoxville, Tennessee. He rented the car two days ago.”

“Any priors?” Chin asked as he checked the action on the shotgun Kiawi loaned him.

“Just misdemeanors, but the last one is interesting,” reported Kono as she consulted her iPad once more. “He was arrested a year ago for trespassing on the 20th Century Fox film lot in Los Angeles. Apparently he told the guard that he wanted Steven Spielberg to read his latest script.”

Chin raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked over at a pale but hard-faced Danny.

“Seems a bit too much of a coincidence that this Murawski claimed to be a screen writer and Steve is an actor.”

Danny nodded his head as Kono piped up again.

“I agree. Apparently he’s been on this island for a few weeks. He didn’t have a car up until now but suddenly two days ago he rents one.”

Danny tightened his jaw as anger flooded through him. 

“You think he saw Steve and decided to try to grab him.” It wasn’t a question. They all knew the answer.

“It’s really the only thing that makes sense. Murawski couldn’t know that Steve would be here. He must have spotted the two of you out together and laid in wait until he could grab Steve,” replied Chin.

“And given this guy’s height and weight, he must have taken Steve by surprise. There’s no way he could have taken him down one-on-one,” added Kono.

Danny checked the clip in his weapon and shoved it into the holster at his hip before looking up at his teammates again, his lips pressed together in a hard line. 

“We’ll ask him how he did it when we capture him – assuming he’ll still be able to talk.”

**********

Steve used all of his strength to wrench on the chain binding his left arm once again. He thought he saw a small amount of movement in the bed rail the chain was wrapped around. If he could just free his fucking arm he could get the key from his captor – assuming the guy had it on him. Steve adjusted his position on the bed and took one more deep breath and pulled. There it was, a small shifting of the rail! Steve’s heart soared.

He prepared himself to make another desperate pull ignoring the pain his efforts caused in his head. He gathered the chains tightly in one hand then stilled suddenly as he heard an amplified voice booming through the thin walls of the house.

“Lloyd James Murawski, this is Captain Danny Williams of Five-0. Your house is surrounded. Come out immediately with your hands up.”

Steve felt his heart lodge in his throat and his eyes fill with tears. He knew Danny would come. He knew it!

“Danny!” he shouted at the top of his voice. “Danny, I’m in here! Danny!”

 

Danny gasped as he heard Steve shouting his name. Without a second thought he leapt to his feet away from the protection of the police car he had been crouched behind. He began to run towards the house, but Sergeant Kiawi grabbed him by the arm and jerked him back roughly.

“Are you insane? It could be a trap!”

Danny wrenched his arm out of Kiawi’s grip.

“Steve wouldn’t lure me into a trap.”

“They could be holding him at gunpoint!” Kiawi yelled grabbing for Danny’s arm again.

Danny slammed his hands on the Hawaiian officer’s chest and shoved causing Kiawi to stumble backward.

“I don’t give a shit if they are pointing a howitzer at him, Steve wouldn’t lure me into a trap even if it meant his own death. Now help me or stay back!”

With that Danny turned and ran towards the house, Chin and Kono hot on his heels. After a moment’s hesitation Kiawi followed, gesturing for the uniformed officers to go around to the back.

Danny kicked open the door of house sending a shower of splinters into the room. The three teammates, followed by Sergeant Kiawi, quickly cleared the garbage-strewn living room and filthy kitchen then split up in the hall with Chin and Kono moving to clear the bathroom and what appeared to be a small bedroom at the back of the house. Danny and Kiawi threw open the door for the bedroom at the front of the house and Danny almost fainted in relief at the sight of a battered-looking Steve on the bed.

“Babe!” Danny shouted, rushing into the room and ignoring the seemingly lifeless body of Murawski on the floor beside the bed. Steve rose up on one elbow and Danny dropped to his knees on the floor wrapping his arms around his husband’s torso while Kiawi handcuffed Murawski.

“Jesus, I thought…” Danny choked out, fighting back tears of relief.

Steve wrapped his free arm around Danny’s shoulders and squeezed him hard. He could feel the trembling of his husband’s body.

“It’s ok now,” Steve soothed his terrified husband, “You found me. I knew you’d find me.”

Danny loosened his grip on Steve and leaned back slightly to examine the wound on his husband’s head with gentle fingers.

“Oh God, babe, are you alright?” 

Steve nodded slowly and gave Danny a slightly pained smile.

“I think I have a concussion and I have to piss like a racehorse, but aside from that I’m ok. I’d be a hell of a lot better if you could get these chains off me though.”

**********

Danny shifted slightly a bit sweaty and uncomfortable under the weight of Steve’s body, but reluctant to do anything to disturb his husband’s slumber. They were sprawled out on a lounger near the pool area of their house, an umbrella protecting them from the bright sun. Steve was laying half on top of Danny, his head on Danny’s chest and one arm thrown limply over his husband’s torso.

The actor had been released from Maui Memorial Medical Center the day before after spending one night in a private room being fussed over and ogled at by a bevy of nurses. Now, after a quick flight on a private jet, they were home – finally. Their honeymoon had come to an unfortunate end and Danny was returning to work the next day while Steve, at the advice of his doctor, was off for another week – much to his protesting annoyance.

Steve shifted slightly and mumbled something in his sleep and Danny softly ran his fingers through his husband’s hair to quiet him. It was all Danny could do to keep from touching Steve constantly, as if to remind himself his husband was still with him, still alive. That brief, fleeting moment when Danny thought perhaps Sergeant Kiawi was right and Steve had drowned had been the worst of Danny’s life.

Unconsciously Danny tightened his grip on the taller man and felt bad immediately when Steve lifted his face to bury it in Danny’s neck. He sighed softly, his hot breath tickling Danny’s throat.

“It’s ok. I’m here and it’s all over,” Steve whispered a bit hoarsely, tightening his hold on the smaller man.

Danny let out a shuddering sigh and pressed the side of his face to the top of Steve’s head. 

“I’ve never been so scared in my life,” he admitted in a quavering voice.

“I wasn’t,” Steve replied casually.

“No?”

Danny felt Steve shake his head slightly.

“Nope. I knew you’d come for me. I knew you wouldn’t believe the bullshit about my drowning. I knew you’d tear the island apart until you found me.”

Danny couldn’t help the tears that pricked his eyes, and he had to squeeze them shut. He swallowed convulsively several times before he could speak.

“If he’d killed you…if I’d lost you…”

“Hey, hey,” Steve pushed himself up to his hands so that he was hovering over top of Danny, their faces inches apart.

“He didn’t kill me. You and Kono and Chin saved me. You’re my hero, you always have been.”

Danny gave Steve a watery smile and lifted one hand to caress his husband’s face.

“You saved yourself knocking Murawski out like that.”

Steve shrugged and lay his head back down on Danny’s chest with a sigh of contentment.

“Well, I am an action hero you know.”

Danny snorted then chuckled.

“That’s right I forgot. Of course an action hero might have found a way to get out of his chains.”

Steve shrugged again.

“I had to leave something for you to do.”

Danny slid down a bit and shifted so that he and Steve were facing each other on the lounger, their arms wrapped loosely around each other’s waists.

“I’d be happy if we never had any more action hero stuff.”

Steve smiled and kissed Danny gently on the lips before closing his eyes once more.

“The only action we’ll have from now on will be in the bedroom, ok?”

Danny smiled and closed his eyes as well figuring he might as well take a nap with his husband.

“That’s plenty for me babe.”

 

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope the ending wasn't too weak.
> 
> Just as an FYI, the Farmers' Market on Lana'i only runs on Saturday but I had it running everyday for the purposes of this fic. Thanks for reading.


End file.
